The field of the invention relates to solar energy and particularly to evacuated-tube solar collector module construction using short off-shelf type vacuumwear bottles, without their usual reflective silvering, arranged in upright posture in rows on a carrying frame for their support.
The prior art uses long evacuated-tubes especially made for solar collectors. They are expensive and allow low profiles only when laid parallel to slanted roofs oriented to the south while this invention maintains low profiles when its collector bottles are arranged in upright tilt angles to roofs. This allows low profile module retrofits on east, south and west oriented roofs as well as on flat roofs. Known prior art does not suggest ducts formed of insulation material as this invention or provide for its abundant insulation. This invention is more economical than the prior art because: the top end of the short collectors need not be supported; the collectors can be off-shelf type vacuumware bottles; the liquid embodiment eliminates thermal shock breakage of the collectors that is common to the prior art; it provides standardized carrying frame and header duct insulation for both air and liquid heat transfer medium embodiments; and its housing cover and its hail proof covering may be of one easily wrapped-on sheet of glazing material. The prior art is not known to use its thermal insulation members to also support its collectors as this invention.